Sarah Palin’s new found fame may be wearing her down. Alaska lawmakers and other friends of the Governor told the Washington Post that she’s "ill at ease" since returning from the campaign trail last fall. Said an anonymous insider, "She looked ill at ease, more defensive than we’ve been accustomed to seeing her."

One state senator, Gary Stevens, described a meeting in which he and other awed lawmakers asked Palin what her policy plans were for the next few months. She reportedly replied, "I feel like you guys are always trying to put me on the spot." And aides say that Palin’s being more selective with her interviews, wary of having every step analyzed in relation to rumors that she’s preparing a presidential run. We understand Palin’s perspective — her entire family and private life have been thrust into the spotlight. But, then again, she contributed to that spotlight. The Governor even sat down to discuss her teenage daughter’s pregancy.

Meanwhile, others complain that Palin’s shifted too far right since returning to Alaska, and has lost the ability to work across the aisle. And that’s never a good thing when trying to run a state — or keep people quiet.